Bee hive



m e e Q N 0 m V I M E Am S E (ModeL) 1%. 384,819. Patented June 19,1888.

N. FEYERS. Phnlo-Lilhoglwbov. mm

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELVIN S. ARMSTRONG, OF JERSEYVILLE, ILLINOIS.

BEE-HIVE.

SPECIPICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 384.819 dated June 19,1888.

(Model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELvIN S. ARMSTRONG, of Jerseyville, in the county ofJersey and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Bee-Hive;and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of refer ence marked thereon.

My invention relates to an improvement in bee-hives, my object being toprovide a more simple and convenient means than heretofore in use forsecuring the honey-boxes in position in the honey-rack; also, to providea very simple and reliable fastening for the removable portions of thesides of the honey-rack and brood-chamber; and, further,to provideanovel and improved means for retaining the broodframes at a properdistance from the walls and bottom of the brood-chamber.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain details ofconstruction described in the following specification and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which-= Figure 1 is a perspective view ofthe hive, the several parts being raised one above the other to exhibitthe interior structure. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of a portion of theinterior of the broodchamber, showing parts of the brood-frames andtheir supporting angle bars. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a part of thehoney rack. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one end of the inside of oneof the removable parts of the side wall of the brood-chamber. Fig. 5 isasimilar view of one of the removable parts of the side walls of thehoney-rack. Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the honey-board.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view of the honeyrack. Fig. 8 is a verticalsectional view of the honeyrack, taken in the line 3 y, Fig. 7;

the sides of the hive that would result from the shrinkage of the wood,and through which movable part, c, of the side, said removable partbeing secured to the ends of the brood-chamber by fastenings d, whichconsist of flat pieces of metal having T-heads,as shownin the drawings,Fig. 1, the fiat shanks being plvotally secured in slits e in the endwalls of the broodchamber and adapted to swing horizontally through aquarter of a circle into a slit in each end of .the removable part ofthe side, so that the T-heads will clamp it firmly to the ends. Thisdevice, it will be observed, I also employ in the honey-rack.

f f Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 9, are anglc-bars, consisting each of a strip ofwood and a strip of metal,m,the former adapted to rest against the endwalls of the brood-chamber, to which the lower angle-bars are fastenedby screws or other suitable means, so as to support the broodframes, theupper or free angle-bars being held in position by the removable part aof the side of the brood-chamber, (see Figs. 4 and 9,.) which isprovided at each end with a' cavity, g, for the reception of one end ofeach of the upper anglebars. The opposite ends of said angle-bars aresecured in cavities like the one shown at g, Fig. 4, with which theopposite and immovable wall of the brood-chamber is provided. I

It will be observed that the horizontal parts of the upper angle-barsoverlap the ends of the top bars of the brood-frames, as shown in Fig.3, and thus 'securethe latter downward.

movable part of the side of the brood-chamber is secured to the latternaniely, by fastenings d.

The central part of the honey-rack is provided with cross-bars S,preferably made of tin, and are of a cross-sectional T form, thevertical parts of which test between the rows IOO of honey-boxes t t,&c., and the horizontal parts on the top thereof, as shown in Figs. 1and 3, both ends of each bar projecting beyond the honey-boxes andreaching beneath the flanges J, with which the sides of the honey-rackare provided, both top and bottom, as shown in Fig. 8. The purpose ofthese flanges is to secure in position the cross-bars S, and likewisethe angle-bars f f, which in turn secure in position the honey-boxes, asshown in Fig. 8. It will be observed that this honey-rack is of thattype commonly termed reversiblethat is, it may be used either sideup-hence the purpose of the angle-bars and cross-bars projecting beneaththe flangesJ,which securely retain the honey-boxes in position whicheverside of the honey-rack may be uppermost.

In order to lessen as much as possible the danger of crushing the beeswhile working the hive, the vertical end bars, 71., of the brood framesare cut away upon their edges,as shown in Fig. 2, thus reducing the areaof the parts in contact, and consequently the liability to crush thebees when manipulating the broodframes.

The honey-board G consists ofa rectangular frame, q, filled in with thinslats 1', (see Fig. 6,) secured at the ends to said frame, a portion ofone edge of each slat being cut away, as shown in the drawings, so thata short length only of the central part and a similar length on each endwill be in contact with the straight edge or back of the adjoining slat,to which it is secured by glue. Between the two outer slats, n and a,there is a difference in breadth such as to make the openings betweenthe slats, when the honey-board is placed on the broodframes, coincidewith the openings between them, and when turned end for end to make theopenings in the honey-board fall between those separating thebrood-frames. By this means communication between the broodframes andthe honey-boxes may be either di- 'reet or indirect, as circumstancesmay require.

In order to adapt the cover Eto fit the honeyboard for the purpose ofclosing the hivewhen V the honey-rack is removed, it is provided withend strips or cleats, p, which, when the cover is placed upon thehoney-board, fit over the ends of the latter, thus effectively closingthe upper part of the hive.

To take out the honey-boxes, the fastenings d are turned back, as shownin dotted lines, Fig. 1, the free part of the side is then removed andthe bars S raised,as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8, after which any orall of the boxes may be examined or removed. The brood-frames may in asimilar manner be examined or removed.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent,

1. The combination, in the honey-rack, of the side walls thereof,provided with flanges J, the angle-bars ff, and cross-bars S, saidanglebars and crossbars being secured in position by having their endsprolonged so as to projeet beneath the flanges J, all constructedsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the fixed ends and removable parts of the sidesof the hive, of the fastenings (1, consisting of flat pieces of metalprovided with T-heads, as described, the flat parts or shanks thereofbeing pivotally secured in slits e in the ends or fixed walls of thehive and adapted to swing around horizontally into similar andcorresponding slits in the removable parts of the walls, so as to clampsaid parts securely in position, all constructed and adapted to operatesubstantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the blOOtl-Ohfll1lher having a portion of itsfront wall removable,'and the brood-frames, of supporting angle-bars f,secured to the lower part of the inner faces of the end walls of thebrood-chamher, and removable angle-bars f, adapted to rest upon the endsof the top bars of the broodframes and secured in position by aprolongation of the ends thereof fitting into cavities g, located in theupper part and near theends of the removable portion of the side wall ofthe brood-chamber, the opposite or fixed side wall being provided withsimilar cavities for the reception of the opposite ends of saidremovable angle-bars, all constructed substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this25th ,day of February, 1887.

ELVIN S. ARMSTRONG.

\Vitnesses:

'J. W. MOEVERS,

G. B. SMITH.

